Category: Snacks

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Featured Main Dishes Recipes Snacks

Individual Cast Iron Tortilla Pizzas

Cast Iron Pizza from www.jasonscooking.com

Cast Iron Pizza from www.jasonscooking.com

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Believe it or not, this is the 100th Recipe on Jason’s Cooking!! I’ve had a blast over the past 6 months cooking and photographing and posting and I’m looking forward to the next 6 months of tasty food. Thanks for supporting me on this adventure and I hope you’ll tell your friends about the site!

Today we’re making some amazing and quick individual pizzas that I saw on Serious Eats a couple of months back. This was one of those rare recipes that showed up in my Facebook feed in the afternoon and I went home and cooked it that night.

These pizzas are super quick to put together (10 minutes from “Let’s have pizza tonight!” to eating tasty pizza) and are better than a lot of delivery pizzas. It’s also way less expensive to make these yourself than it is to buy from a pizza joint. Give these quick, delicious, crispy, and dead simple pizzas a shot tonight and let me know what you think.

The RecipeRecipe
Individual Cast Iron Tortilla Pizzas
 
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Serves: 1 Pizza
Ingredients
  • ½ tsp Olive Oil (you can also use vegetable oil)
  • 1 8” Flour Tortilla
  • 2 – 3 Spoonfulls* Store Bought Marinara or Pizza Sauce (see Tips and Tricks)
  • 1 Hand Full* of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • Pepperoni Slices
  • Hot Italian Sausage (bulk or links with casing removed)
  • Any other pizza toppings you love. This “recipe” is more of a method than a recipe.

You’ll also need an 8” Cast Iron Skillet
Instructions
  1. Preheat your broiler to high and heat the oil in the cast iron skillet on the stove top over high heat until it shimmers. Once the oil shimmers, reduce the heat to medium low and follow the remaining steps quicklyish. These pizzas start out on top of the stove and finish in the oven.
  2. Place the tortilla on in the skillet, top with sauce (don’t go crazy or you’ll have a sloppy mess), cheese, pepperoni, and little dots of the raw sausage.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and, using a pot holder, place the skillet under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts and browns a bit.
  4. Slide pizza onto a cutting board, cut and serve immediately.
Notes
Note: for a crispier crust, put the skillet back on the stove top over medium heat after you remove it from the broiler. Use a spatula to lift up the pizza to check your progress.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

269_MEDimgThe best store-bought marinara in the whole world is Buitoni Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce. It looks like this and you can find it in the fresh pasta section of the grocery store. It’s near the lunch meat in my Publix.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

I suppose you could assemble the pizzas, freeze them and then cook from frozen if you want to but I wouldn’t recommend it. These pizzas are so quick and easy to make, however, I recommend keeping the ingredients on hand so you can whip them up whenever you want them.

Fun FactsFun Facts

My favorite pizza from California Pizza Kitchen is the California Club without avocado. Don’t worry, you’ll see that recipe on the site soon.

Categories
Appetizers Featured Recipes Snacks

Pepper Jack Pimento Cheese

Pepperjack Pimento Cheese from www.jasonscooking.com

Pepperjack Pimento Cheese from www.jasonscooking.com

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There are 460,000 results when you Google “pimento cheese recipe” so I’m revisiting my Bacon Pimento Cheese recipe. This time, I was making this tasty spread for a wedding and a going away party for a vegetarian so the bacon was out. I also wanted to make the spice in this batch a little more subtle, so I swapped the cayenne for some pepper jack cheese, adjusted the ratios and came up with this super tasty version.

Pimento cheese is great on crackers, on little sandwiches and as a vegetable dip. It’s a quick and easy app that you can mix up days before your party so I highly recommend putting it in your party prep rotation. This would be a great appetizer to put out for the big sports game on Thanksgiving day!

The RecipeRecipe
Pepper Jack Pimento Cheese
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 4 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
  • ½ Cup Mayonnaise
  • 6 oz Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
  • 2 oz Swiss Cheese, Shredded
  • 2 oz Pepperjack Cheese, Shredded
  • 4 oz Chopped Pimentos, Drained
Instructions
  1. Mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise until they're thoroughly combined.
  2. Fold in the cheeses and pimentos and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Use pimento cheese rather than sliced cheese for a super fun Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

If you don’t use up a whole block of cheese, store excess shredded cheese in the freezer so it’s ready for you when you’re ready for it!

Fun FactsFun Facts

I thought pimentos were pickled red bell peppers but they’re not. Pimentos are their own variety of small, sweet chili peppers.

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Appetizers Featured Recipes Snacks

Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Orange Marmalade

Caprino from www.jasonscooking.com

Caprino from www.jasonscooking.com

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My friend Gwen and I have worked together for almost 10 years and this is her last week. Boo. Gwen is a vegetarian and she often gives me crap for not making more vegetarian stuff. This week will all be stuff she can eat.

The first recipe is Figo Pasta’s Caprino appetizer. This quick and easy app is a great combination of tangy goat cheese, sweet caramelized onions, citrusy orange marmalade and crunchy toasted French bread. It really hits all of the highlights that a good appetizer should hit – minus bacon of course.

Anywho…one of my favorite things to do with Gwen was to go to Ikea and Figo at lunch. Gwen is good at Ikea…I’m pretty sure they can sense her in the area and batten down the hatches when she’s near Atlantic Station. After tearing through the Ikea at an alarming rate, we would swing by the Figo for some delicious pasta. She introduced me to this place, and now it’s one of Michael and my favorite spots.

The RecipeRecipe
Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Orange Marmalade
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ Tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ Cup Sweet Onions, Diced
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 Tbs Orange Marmalade
  • 5 oz Goat Cheese
  • 1 Loaf French Bread, Sliced on the bias into 16 pieces (about ½ inch thick)
  • Parsley for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat.
  2. Add the onions, a pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions caramelize and turn a deep golden brown – about 20 minutes. See Tips and Tricks below.
  3. When the onions have caramelized, add the marmalade and stir.
  4. When the marmalade is completely incorporated, add the goat cheese and fold to incorporate everything. The cheese will melt as you stir. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl to cool.
  5. While the cheese mixture is cooling, heat the oven to 400° and place the slices of bread in a single layer on a pan.
  6. Toast in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes, turning half way through the cooking time, until they are toasty and slightly colored.
  7. Spread the cheese mixture on the slices of toasted bread and sprinkle with parsley.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

The secret to beautifully caramelized onions is to go low and slow. If the onions start to crisp up or look like they’re frying, you have too much heat. Slow and steady win the race.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

You can store the cheese mixture in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, toast the bread and commence scooping and spreading.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Until literally 2 minutes ago, I thought “Caprino” was a well-known Italian appetizer…apparently it’s not. Caprino is simply an Italian goat cheese – the onions and marmalade came from Figo. Who knew?

Categories
Dessert Featured Recipes Snacks

Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats

Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats from www.jasonscooking.com
Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats
TemperatureLow HeatTime30 minutes

Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats

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This morning, Jason asked me to come up with some ideas for Halloween-themed snacks. We brainstormed some clever ideas, like spiders made out of pretzel-sticks (the legs) and chocolate covered strawberries (the bodies). However, nothing sounded quite right. At the same time, I have been craving some Rice Krispies Treats lately so I was trying to come up with a Halloween-themed snack involving Rice Krispies Treats. Suddenly, it hit me – color and shape them like candy corn!

These Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats are surprisingly easy to make and are the perfect snack for your Halloween party!  Give them a try and let us know what you think.

The RecipeRecipe
Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 32
Ingredients
  • 6 Tbs Butter, Divided
  • 1 16oz bag of Large Marshmallows, Divided
  • 6 Cups Rice Krispies, Divided
  • Red and Yellow Food Coloring
Instructions
  1. Line a 9x9 baking dish with aluminum foil and spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

For the White Layer
  1. In a small pot over low heat, melt 1 ½ Tbs butter and 14 marshmallows, stirring frequently.
  2. Once the marshmallows and butter have melted, remove from heat and mix in 1½ cups of Rice Krispies, stirring until they’re completely coated.
  3. Scoop the Rice Krispie mixture in the foiled pan and press into the pan using a bit of parchment paper.
  4. Clean the pot with hot water and make the next layer.

For the Orange Layer
  1. In a small pot over low heat, melt 3 Tbs butter and 28 marshmallows, stirring frequently.
  2. Once the marshmallows and butter have melted, add 6 drops of yellow food coloring and 3 drops of red food coloring and mix until the color is evenly distributed.
  3. Remove from heat and mix in 3 cups of Rice Krispies, stirring until they’re completely coated.
  4. Scoop the orange layer onto the top of the white layer press to evenly cover using a bit of parchment paper.
  5. Clean the pot with hot water and make the next layer.

For the Yellow Layer
  1. In a small pot over low heat, melt 1 ½ Tbs butter and 14 marshmallows, stirring frequently.
  2. Once the marshmallows and butter have melted, add 4 drops of yellow food coloring and mix until the color is evenly distributed.
  3. Remove from heat and mix in 1½ cups of Rice Krispies, stirring until they’re completely coated.
  4. Scoop the Rice Krispie mixture in the foiled pan and press into the pan using a bit of parchment paper.

Cool, Cut and Shape
  1. After completing all three layers, allow Rice Krispie Treats to cool for about 20 – 30 minutes.
  2. Lift the Treats out of the pan using the foil and cut into 32 pieces (4 rows and 8 columns).
  3. Using more parchment, squeeze the sides of each treat into a triangular shape to look like candy corn. The small part of the triangle should be the white layer.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Fill your baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. This will make it easier to get the rice krispies out and will result in one less dish that requires clean up!

When layering rice krispies mixture, use parchment paper to press each layer in the baking dish. Also, use parchment paper to help shape the rice krispies treats. This will keep them from sticking to your fingers.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Rice Krispies Treats can be frozen and enjoyed later. When ready to thaw out, remove from freezer and let stand for 10-15 minutes. They also taste good cold!

Fun FactsFun Facts

The original recipe for Rice Krispies Treats was developed by an employee of Kellogg, Mildred Day, in 1939.

 

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Appetizers Featured Recipes Snacks

Garden Fresh Green Dip

Green Dip from www.jasonscooking.com

Green Dip from www.jasonscooking.com

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In my travels, I’ve discovered that most dips start with sour cream and mayonnaise and then whatever the blank is in _________ dip is added to that. This Garden Fresh Green Dip is no exception to that trusted formula. The parsley and green onions not only give this dip its green hue. They also give the dip a nice fresh taste making it perfect for vegetables, chips and crackers.

The RecipeRecipe
Garden Fresh Green Dip
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Parsley, Chopped
  • 5 Green Onions, Chopped
  • 1 ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 Cup Sour Cream
  • 2 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
  • 1 tsp Curry Powder
  • 2 Pinches Kosher Salt
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

This dip is as good on chips and crackers as it is on veggies. Give it a shot.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

This dip can be made a day or two in advance and kept in the refrigerator. You probably don’t want to freeze it; sour cream doesn’t like to be frozen.

Fun FactsFun Facts

If you harvest any type of onion before it has a chance to bulb, you’ve got yourself a green onion, friend.

Categories
Featured Main Dishes Michael's Favorites Recipes Snacks

Chunky Chicken Salad

Jason's Chicken Salad

Jason's Chicken Salad

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Grapes in chicken salad?!? A coworker of mine turned me on to putting grapes in chicken salad about 10 years ago and I haven’t made chicken salad without them since. She called it Summertime Chicken Salad but I just call it delicious.

This is my go-to chicken salad recipe. It’s not too wet, has just the right amount of crunch and the grapes are a nice surprise. In fact, with only ½ cup of mayonnaise in the whole batch, it’s actually not too bad for you either. Michael and I make this on the weekend and it’ll keep in the refrigerator all week to use on tasty sandwiches.

The RecipeRecipe
Chunky Chicken Salad
 
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Recipe type: Mains
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 2 ½ - 3 Lb Chicken, Cooked and Shredded
  • 1 Cup Celery, Chopped (about 3 ribs)
  • ½ Cup Pecans, Toasted and Chopped
  • 1 Cup Red Seedless Grapes, Halved
  • ½ Cup Mayonnaise
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.
  2. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

I use my hands to toss this salad. Using your fingers helps you mix everything evenly and allows you to use less mayonnaise.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

This chicken salad will freeze for up to 3 months. The quality might diminish slightly but it’s a great way to store excess chicken salad.

Fun FactsFun Facts

The chicken salad that we know and love was invented in Rhode Island in 1863. The original version featured leftover chicken, mayonnaise, tarragon, and grapes. Grapes! Who knew?

Categories
Appetizers Featured Recipes Snacks

Michael’s Onioney, Onion Dip. With Onions!

Oniony, Onion Dip.

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There are a lot of recipes on the backs of ingredients that are themselves tasty and can also be doctored up for a taster recipe.  For example, onion soup mix has a recipe for onion dip on the back of the box that consists of onion soup and sour cream.  My family used to make this dip a lot when I was a kid and I really liked it.

I love onions, especially red and green onions. If you’ve ever bought green onions you usually end up with a lot more than you can probably use before they go bad. That being the case, I decided to enhance the back of the box onion soup dip recipe with some left over green onions. Now the onion dip is more onioney! I added some buttermilk and mayonnaise to make it creamier, seasoned with salt and pepper and ended up with my very own dip.  I call it Michael’s Onioney, Onion Dip. With Onions!

The RecipeRecipe
Michael's Onioney, Onion Dip. With Onions!
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 1 package of onion soup mix
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • ½ cup of green onion
  • ⅓ cup mayonaise
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Mix together all ingredients and chill for 2-3 hours prior to serving.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Add other vegetables to the dip, like carrot strings and you’ll get [Your Name]’s Michael’s [Your Vegetable]ey Onioney, Onion Dip. With Onions and [Your Vegetable]!

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Thawed sour cream kind of separates and turns into a gross and grainy mess so don’t freeze it when it’s the star of the recipe.  You can absolutely freeze it when it’s just an ingredient in something like a casserole.

Fun FactsFun Facts

According to Alton Brown in the Good Eats episode Dip Madness, “In order to qualify as a dip, the candidate substance must be able to maintain constant contact with its transport medium over three feet of white carpet.”

Categories
Appetizers Breakfast Featured Jason's Favorites Recipes Snacks

Sausage Balls

Sausage Balls
Temperature375°Time15 – 20 mins

Sausage Balls

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I started this week with Buffalo Chicken Balls and I’m ending the week with the thing that inspired them: Sausage Balls. Sausage Balls (or Cheese and Sausage Balls) have been my favorite appetizer since I was a week tyke. My mom has made them for me for breakfast on my birthday almost every year of my life (I was at the beach one year and in Ireland the other year) and then again at Christmas and then they would not come out again until my next birthday.

This is one of 3 recipes for sausage balls that I know how to make. My mom’s recipe is different but I can only make that recipe between my birthday and Christmas so I’ll post that one in a couple of months. This recipe is perfect for any party or tailgate so grab some sausage, cheese and Bisquick and mix some up for yourself!

The RecipeRecipe
Sausage Balls
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 Cups Bisquick
  • 1 lb Bluk Hot Breakfast Sausage
  • 10 – 12 oz Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a sheet pan with parchment paper
  2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until it forms a stiff dough. Your hands are probably the best tool for this but you can use a stand mixer if you’d like. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
  3. Form the dough into 1 oz balls (about 1 ¼ inches in diameter) and place on the sheet pan. You can put them pretty close together but don’t let them touch.
  4. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until they start to brown and they are cooked through.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Use a small ice cream scoop to make short work of rolling out the sausage balls.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

These sausage balls will hold up really well in the freezer. I freeze them after portioning and rolling the dough and before cooking. You can cook them from frozen by adding another 5ish minutes to the cooking time.

Fun FactsFun Facts

The only reason we have Bisquick in our house is to make sausage balls!

Categories
Appetizers Featured Recipes Snacks

Buffalo Chicken Balls

Buffalo Chicken Balls
Buffalo Chicken Balls
Temperature375°Time15 – 20 mins

Buffalo Chicken Balls

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My absolute favorite appetizers are cheese and sausage balls – they always have been and they will always be. That recipe will go up in next few days but that’s not what we’re discussing here. Today’s subject is the Buffalo Chicken Ball!

The idea for these buffalo chicken balls came to me when I was prepping buffalo chicken dip and sausage balls for a party. I figured I could use the same technique as the sausage balls with buffaloey chickeney ingredients and create a tasty new snack. I had to add a few more seasonings but in the end, I think they turned out pretty good!

Make sure you serve these with ranch for dipping. It really rounds out the flavor.

The RecipeRecipe
Buffalo Chicken Balls
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 3 Cups Bisquick
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • ¼ Cup Vegetable Shortening
  • 1 lb Regular Ground Chicken (not ground chicken breast)
  • 8 Oz Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded
  • ½ Cup Buffalo Wing Sauce
  • Ranch Dressing for Dipping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a sheet pan with parchment paper
  2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until it forms a moist dough. Your hands are probably the best tool for this but you can use a stand mixer if you’d like. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
  3. Form the dough into 1 oz balls (about 1 ¼ inches in diameter) and place on the sheet pan. You can put them pretty close together but don’t let them touch.
  4. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until they start to brown and they are cooked through.
  5. Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

If you want these to be a bit spicier, up the cayenne by half. Don’t go too crazy though or you won’t be able to eat them!

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

These tasty appetizers will hold up really well in the freezer. I freeze them after portioning and rolling the dough and before cooking. You can cook them from frozen by adding another 5ish minutes to the cooking time.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Chickens for sale at the grocery store are classified as fryers, broilers, and roasters. Roasters are the largest, oldest and most expensive of the whole chickens.